Title: Welcome Home
Author: DarkDreamer56
Archive: If you want it, ask please!
Rating: T
Pairing: Team friendship in general, but some N/S friendship too…
Disclaimer: If I owned them, oh, the possibilities….
Spoilers: up to Grave Danger (did you expect anything else?)

A/N: Yeah, it's another post Grave Danger. I know, from me, you've all got to be shocked… :)

Nick stared out the window into the bright lights of the Vegas skyline. The flight attendant announced that it was time to buckle their seatbelts and return their seats and tray tables to the upright and locked positions. Nick replaced the airline magazine he'd spent half of the three hour flight not reading to the pocket on the seat in front of him, and took a deep breath.

Nick had spent several days in the hospital after he was rescued from the makeshift grave. The steady stream of people in and out of his hospital room had been nerve wracking, but he hadn't had the strength to kick them out. His family, and the team were one thing, but it seemed that half of the Las Vegas Police Department had come to check on him, and he could have probably filled the entire lab with all of the flowers and cards. So the minute he was medically cleared, he donated all of the flowers to the pediatric wing and allowed his mother to book him on the flight his parents were taking back to Dallas; he couldn't bear the thought of staying in Vegas at the time, and he knew that Grissom and the others would understand. Ecklie had gone as far to tell him to take as much time as he needed, that his job would be waiting for him, if he wanted it back. It was the most human Nick had ever seen Ecklie, but it was also completely unnerving.

Nick was welcomed at Dallas Fort Worth by half of his sisters, nieces, and nephews, holding monstrous, colorful signs welcoming him home. A car ride later, and Nick discovered the rest of his family was camped out at his parent's house, throwing a welcome home party that included half of the neighborhood; it seemed that everyone he had ever met had heard about his ordeal, and wanted to see just for themselves how he was holding up. Nick made it about ten minutes before having to retreat to the guest house. His parents had tried to convince him to stay in his childhood room, thinking that the familiarity would be comforting, but that particular familiarity was the last thing Nick needed. His mother found him on the couch, head in his hands, and promptly sent the neighbors home, and the rest of his family out to dinner. She sat with him while he sobbed into his hands, rubbing his back the way she had when he was little.

The plane began its final descent, and Nick laid his head back on the seat, taking a deep breath. The reality that he was returning to Vegas was finally settling in, and no matter how sure he was that it was the right decision, he was still nervous. It had been weeks since he had been left alone, really left alone, weeks since he had seen his friends.

Nick spent the first week in Dallas sleeping and trying to bear the endless stream of family and friends coming through his parents' guest house daily. His family had made the decision, consciously or not, that he was never to be left alone.

So Nick spent afternoons listening to his sister Lisa prattle on about her job as an interior designer for Dallas' up and coming, the latest antics of his sister Karen's twin terrors, and all of the reasons that his sister Bailey thought that he should quit working at the lab in Vegas and return home to Dallas. Nick preferred the afternoons that his nieces and nephews accompanied their mothers, and instead he could spend his time hearing about science projects and field trips while playing video games.

The second week, his mother insisted that Nick get out of the house for at least a few hours a day. Sometimes he accompanied her on errands, and other times he walked with her around the quiet streets of the neighborhood surrounding them. Finally the ant bites were healing, and he didn't feel so self conscious in public. More often than not, they ended up in the park down the street, watching kids on the swing sets or dogs chasing each other in the adjacent dog park. His mother also insisted that he begin to see a counselor, and made the arrangements with someone a friend had recommended, someone that specialized in post traumatic stress disorder. Nick went along with it, but knew that he wouldn't get very far with someone that he would see two, maybe three times, before he returned to Vegas and had to start over with someone new. The first appointment, Jillian Stokes sat reading a magazine in the waiting room while Nick spent an hour talking about his family and friends at work, never once mentioning fire ants, coffins, or burials.

Someone from Vegas called daily, usually under the guise of chit chatting, to check on him. It took a week before it dawned on Nick that they needed the reassurance that he will still alive, since he had left for Dallas pretty much as soon as he was released from the hospital. It was easiest when Warrick or Greg called, and hardest when it was Catherine or Sara. It unnerved him that two strong, fierce women could so easily fall apart on the phone; he could hear both of them fighting tears every time they called him, and he was certain that at least once apiece, they had rushed through saying goodbye, only to burst into tears as soon as the call was disconnected.

"Hey man," Nick greeted Warrick, as he flopped down onto the couch in the guest house after returning from his third counseling session; he'd still yet to talk about his own experiences, finding it easier to talk about the way his family was doing their best not to smother him and failing horribly.

"How's it going down there?" That's the closest anyone ever got to asking Nick how he was dealing.

"It's going okay, I took my niece Maddi to the zoo yesterday. I forgot what a handful a three year old can be."

Warrick chuckled, a sound that Nick realized that he missed more than he realized. He had hardly heard anyone around him laugh in weeks. "Can't say I know anything about that man. I saw your Rangers kicked ass yesterday…"

"Yeah, it was a good game. I'll miss it when baseball season's over." Nick rolled his eyes as he answered, he thought that after two weeks, Warrick of all people would be able to address the issue at hand.

"Well, then football will be starting. I was thinking about getting tickets to Western LVU's opening game…" Warrick trailed off, leaving an unasked question lingering in the air.

"Maybe we should take Greg and Sara with us this year," Nick responded, knowing that he wouldn't be staying in Dallas much longer; he loved his family, but he was very near his breaking point. "Greg really wanted to go last year, and honestly, I think it would be worth the price of the ticket just to see Sar at a football game."

Warrick's tone was serious. "Nick…you take as much time as you need. We've got everything covered back here until you decide…"

"Until I decide what, Warrick? I'm coming back…" Nick sighed in frustration.

"Hey man, I just meant, that we'll get by until you're ready. I know you're coming back, maybe some of the others aren't sure…" Warrick paused, and both men knew that Warrick had revealed more than he had intended.

"Who?" Nick asked, running a hand over his head.

"They haven't said anything to me, but I think that both Cath and Sar are afraid that you won't come back. They want what's best for you….but I think they are both scared out of their minds."

It suddenly made sense to Nick. "So that's why they sound like they're gonna burst into tears every time I talk to them…"

Warrick sounded surprised. "You noticed, huh?"

Nick laughed bitterly. "It's hard to miss." He was silent for a moment. "But tell them I'll be back….and soon. I'm running out of vacation time anyways…"

"Don't worry about that, Nick. I'm sure Sara would let you use some of hers, she's got something like twelve weeks on the books." Warrick's tone was only half teasing.

Nick sighed again. "Man…how are things going there? And don't give me the bullshit, everything's fine, take your time, that everyone's been telling me for weeks."

There was a pause on the other end, and Nick heard Warrick sigh in frustration. "You really want the truth man? Fine, it's been crazy. We're still on two separate shifts, but no one from dayshift is interested in helping out on swing, so Sara and Greg alternate working doubles. I don't think anyone has had a day off since…Greg looks like hell, and Sara probably hasn't slept in weeks…"

"What about you man?"

Warrick sighed again. "I had to work a rape case with Sara last night."

Nick winced; those were tough on them all, but Sara more so than the rest, and he could only imagine how she handled it with sleep deprivation and worrying about him. It would have been a bad night for anyone working with her.

Nick's mind was made up; if he was honest with himself, it had been made up for the past two days or so, but he had needed this conversation to serve as the catalyst. "Tell them I'll be back soon…"

Warrick argued, but Nick could hear that his heart wasn't really in it; he was somewhat pleased to realize how much his friends wanted him back. "You don't have to rush back, man. Take your time…"

Nick cut him off. "Warrick, I'll call you with my flight information at the end of the week, alright?"

"Sure man….take it easy."

Nick had thought he would have been harder to explain to his parents, his entire family really, why he was returning to Vegas after only three weeks back in Dallas. But his father only gave him a knowing look, and after a moment, he mentioned that it would be nice for Nick to show him around town in the fall, if Nick didn't mind a visit.

"You know you can always come home when you need to," was what his mother said, sniffling a little as she smiled and pulled him into a tight, motherly hug. His siblings hadn't all taken the news as well, some had stronger opinions about what Nick should do than others, but his parents quickly put a stop to any conversation that wasn't supportive and started planning what they would all do when everyone came home for Christmas.

Nick reached towards the overhead compartment, grabbing the duffel bag he had stored, and then joined the queue to exit the plane. He was happy he hadn't taken much to Dallas with him, and hadn't had to check a bag. Still he headed towards baggage claim, having told Warrick to meet him there after figuring it would be the easiest way to meet up.

The airport was busy, even at eight o'clock in the evening, and it took Nick a minute to spot Warrick in the crowd. His face lit up when he spotted Warrick, and realized that he hadn't come alone. He seemed to be engaged in a conversation with Greg, and next to Greg stood Sara, who was anxiously scanning the crowd for what he assumed to be his arrival.

When Sara's eyes finally settled on him, a grin spread across her face as she exclaimed his name and quickly bridged the distance between them, throwing her arms around his neck. He dropped the duffel at his feet and quickly enveloped her into a hug, surprised to feel a few tears trying to escape as Warrick and Greg caught up to them.

"Hey man, welcome home," Warrick greeted Nick, clapping him on the shoulder. Sara held on to him for a moment longer, and then reluctantly disentangled herself. Nick could see a few of her own tears shining in her eyes, but was happy to see that she was all smiles.

"We missed you," she whispered, glancing towards the ground quickly.

Nick could feel himself choke up a little as he responded, "I missed you guys too." He had expected it to be difficult to return to Vegas, despite the fact that he knew it was best, but having three of his best friends meet him at the airport certainly made it easier.

Greg reached down to grab Nick's duffel, throwing it over his shoulder as he exclaimed, "We're glad to have you back."

"I wasn't expecting to see all of you here," Nick admitted, following as the three started for the exit.

"Yeah, well Warrick has the night off, I don't have to be in until ten, and Sar just took her dinner break a little late so she could come with," Greg explained.

Nick quirked an eyebrow in Warrick's direction. "How'd you end up with a night off?"

"Hardwell, the new guy from days, he offered to pick up a couple shifts so that we each could take a night off."

Sara sighed. Nick took a minute to look her over, and he realized that Warrick had been right; it looked as if she hadn't had a decent night's sleep since Nick had left. A look to the right confirmed that Greg wasn't faring much better. "I'm working swing tonight, Gris said he and Greg could cover graveyard, and I'm off tomorrow."

Nick chuckled and looped his arm around hers. "Got a hot date tomorrow night?"

Sara cracked a smile. "Only with my pajamas."

"Lucky pajamas then," Nick shot back, amazed at how easy it felt to be back home.

"Hey," Greg declared, shifting Nick's duffel to his other shoulder, "How come Nick can say something like that, and he doesn't get hit. If it had been me, you'd be chasing me to the car by now…"

Sara smiled, but said nothing as they approached the parking structure. While Greg and Warrick lightly argued over which floor Warrick had parked on, Sara rolled her eyes and headed towards the third floor. Nick couldn't resist laughing as he followed behind, finding Sara leaning against Warrick's Denali as they waited for the other two to catch up.

She smiled as Nick came to rest beside her, ducking her head before she whispered, "You know, I'm really glad you're back." Nick could see in her eyes that she had really been worried that he wouldn't have come back to Vegas, so he reached his arm out and threw it around her shoulder.

"I was always coming back Sar…I just needed some time away."

"I know," she replied wistfully, tears evident in her voice. She sniffled once, and then seemed to get her voice back under control; Nick was glad, he wasn't sure if he was ready to handle a tearful Sara in the middle of the airport parking structure.

"Do you want to go out to breakfast…dinner…something, after I get off shift? I should be out by twelve…"

"I don't think that's a good idea, Sar." Nick thought that the only thing Sara should do after shift was get some sleep, but by her reaction, she took his refusal a completely different way. This time she really seemed like she was going to cry, and Nick kicked himself mentally.

"That's okay, maybe another time, once you're settled again…" she trailed off, wiping once at her eyes and scanning the parking lot for Warrick and Greg, who could be seen approaching.

"How about you come over and fall asleep on my couch while we watch a movie?" he suggested, rubbing her shoulder and releasing her as Warrick unlocked the Denali. "I'll even provide the blanket…"

She smiled, leaning into him one last time before climbing into the backseat. Nick called shot gun, and watched as Greg climbed in next to Sara, before throwing his duffel bag into the back.

"Alright, I'll drop you two off at the lab, and then we'll head back to your place?" Warrick reasoned as he carefully pulled out of the parking space and drove toward the exit. Nick visibly stiffened at the mention of the lab, something that everyone in the Denali noticed.

"Don't worry man, we're just gonna drop them off. I think Gris and Cath are gonna stop by to see you tomorrow, but you don't have to go in if you're not ready…"

"Maybe another time," Nick answered quietly, staring out the window. They made idle chit chat until Warrick dropped Greg and Sara off at work. Nick watched both of them stand in the parking lot, watching the Denali drive away until they were well down the street.

Nick was surprised to return to a clean, open house. His fridge had been cleaned out and stocked, his mail was sorted, the windows had been opened to allow a cool breeze to blow through the house, several bunches of flowers sat around in bright vases, even his sheets had been washed.

"You guys didn't have to do this, thanks man," Nick told Warrick appreciatively as he stashed his duffel in his bedroom.

"Hey, this was mostly Catherine's and Sara's gig. I think they did your laundry too, so if you can't find something, take it up with them…" Warrick explained, settling down onto the couch and searching for the remote to the television.

Nick couldn't help but grin as Warrick idly flipped through the channels, finally settling on a baseball game. "The Rangers aren't playing, but Cleveland's making a comeback this year, should be a good game."

Nick nodded and settled next to Warrick after grabbing two iced teas from the refrigerator. "If their pitching can keep it together, they might have a shot at the wildcard…" Nick soon found himself lost in a good game and the company of one of his best friends.

It was nice to be home again.

FIN.